Protesters called Trump “Hitler of our time” during DC dinner
Protesters call President Trump “Hitler of our time” at the DC Restaurant.
- The decades-long peace vigil near the White House was dismantled at the direction of President Donald Trump.
- The vigil, which began as an anti-nuclear protest in 1981, has been maintained by volunteers since the death of the founder.
- Activists argue that the removal violated First Amendment rights, and that the White House cited it as dangerous.
The decades-long peace vigil near the White House was dismantled at the recent direction of President Donald Trump.
Trump didn’t know the all-nighter until real American voice correspondent Brian Glenn told him about it during the oval office exchange on September 5th.
The Washington Post reported that on September 7th it partially dismantled vigils. USA Today contacted the White House and the US Parks Police for comment.
Trump later boasted about his actions and called it “tough stuff.”
“It’s been there for so many years,” Trump said on September 8th.
Here’s what you need to know about the meaning of the upside-up and its initial correction:
What prompted Trump to dismantle the all-nighters?
Glenn told Trump that the “blue tent” was originally an anti-nuclear arm protest, but since then it has become “sometimes anti-American, multiple times anti-Trump.”
He called it an “eyebrow.”
“Take it down,” Trump responded to his staff. “Drop it down. Today, now. No one told me that.”
Trump proceeded to ask more questions about the all-nighter as it appeared to have become a “radical left” display.
Glenn said people said, “It’s a public health risk because people sleep and eat there, there are rats.” He went on to say that staying up vigils could pose national security risks as people could store weapons in tents.
Trump said his team was “to look into it,” and promoted efforts to demolish the homeless encampment in Washington, D.C. He said he was “a little surprised” when he heard about the all-nighter, but vowed to deal with it.
Who started staying up all night?
According to a 1984 Washington Post article, William Thomas began a peace vigil at Lafayette Square in 1981, and was soon joined by Concepcion Pikite.
The U.S. Parks Police had arrested Thomas more than 12 times within four years, including illegal camping and disorderly conduct, the outlet reported at the time.
Thomas passed away in 2009. Pipiot passed away in 2016 after being part of a more than 34 years of all-night stays. The Guinness World Records recognized her as maintaining the longest vigil of peace by individuals in history.
Since then, volunteers have been staying up all night.
Was it legal?
The National Park Service says protesters carrying out organized activities in presidential parks, including Lafayette Square, are required to obtain public gathering permits. Such activities include “First Amendment demonstrations” and “events that require all sorts of setup.”
The Washington Post reported that peace vigils must always be placed on staff to maintain the place at Lafayette Square.
Why did the Trump administration take it over?
The White House told the Associated Press that staying up all night is “a dangerous for those visiting the White House and its surrounding areas.”
In an oval office exchange, Trump discussed vigils in the context of his greater efforts to crack down on the homelessness in Washington.
“We have to care for and glorify,” Trump said in a speech at the second hearing of the Religious Freedom Committee on September 8th.
How did the activists behind the all-night stay react?
Will Rossieen, a volunteer who oversaw the vigil at the time of its removal, said Washington Post officials gave him 30 minutes to remove the tarp that was protecting him from the rain.
Officials began to dismantle it when he refused, he told the outlet. He said he was placed in handcuffs when he tried to block them but was ultimately not arrested.
The video was shown to federal officials telling Lucien that he could stay on the site after the building was removed, the Washington Post reported. The officer said, “The all night will still remain for you. You are on alert.”
Lucien refused to discuss the argument, telling the officers that he “just violated the First Amendment.”
Philippos Merak Bello, who has led the all-nighters for years, told The Associated Press that the White House has a thorough character as an encampment “to fit what’s on Trump’s agenda of removing the camp.”
“The difference between camps and vigils is that camps are where homeless people live,” Merak Bello told the outlet. “As you can see, I don’t have a bed. I have a sign, which is covered by the right to first amendment to freedom of speech and freedom of expression.”
He told the outlet that, contrary to Glenn’s statement, he had no weapons or mice on the verge, and that he was talking to his lawyer about Trump’s order.
Is staying up vigil protected by the First Amendment?
According to the National Park Service, Lafayette Park “has long served as a place for political and social demonstrations.”
Demonstrations may be subject to reasonable time, location and manners restrictions. However, in order to become a constitution, such restrictions must be content-neutral.
“If it has anything to do with the fact that it’s left or right, it’s a violation of free speech,” John Vill, a professor of political science at Tennessee State University, told USA Today.
Vile said in a September 8th article in the university’s Free Speech Center that “they don’t appear to be in law” related to homelessness and panhandling, so neither the mattress nor bedding materials were in the dismantling location and were not recruited.
Contribution: Zac Anderson
Brieanna Frank is USA Today’s first revised reporting fellow. Contact her at bjfrank@usatoday.com.
Reports on the First Amendment issue for USA Today are funded through collaborations between the Freedom Forum and Journalism’s fundraising partners. Funders do not provide editor input.
